I Would Do Anything For You
by tj12398
Summary: How far would you go in the name of love?
1. Chapter 1

_'Four hours_,' his text message read.

_'Four hours too long_,' she responded immediately. _'I love you_.'

_'I love you more.'_

"What is that grin for?" Theresa asked. "Your secret booooyfriend?" she teased in a sing-song voice and then jumped on her tiny dormitory bed.

"He is hardly a secret," Jessie admonished. "We've been together for four years quite openly."

"Then why don't you have any pictures of the two of you…"

"I have thousands," Jessie cut her off patiently. "…and aren't you tired of this conversation yet? We are arguably in one of the most intellectually stimulating places on the planet and you want to talk about guys like we're in high school?"

"If you didn't deflect my questions at every turn, then maybe I would be interested in other subjects," Theresa smiled. "Besides, the intellectual bounty of Harvard aside, we are also college freshman away from home for the first time and we should be living it up together. I don't know about you, but I have been pleasantly surprised at the amount of physically stimulating men on this campus. I came in resigned that they would all be dogs. Smart dogs destined to run the world one day of course, but dogs nonetheless. Then to my great surprise there are several I'd gladly roll over for."

"That's classy, T." Jessie did not dislike her roommate. In fact, she respected her blunt attitude and found her opinions on most subjects well thought out and accurate, but she still had trouble opening up with her despite the fact that they had been together twenty-four-seven since orientation. Jessie was not sure if that was because of the competitive nature of Harvard, the fact that she'd never had female friends growing up and did not know how to relate or that natural Bannon tendency to keep people at arm's length until they proved themselves trustworthy. She suspected it was a combination of all three though.

"I just don't want you to wake up one day and regret missing out on all this fun," she scolded. "You have your whole life to be in a relationship. You shouldn't tie yourself down at nineteen. Humans are not monogamists by nature. The fact that you have stuck it out for four years with the same guy…you should mark that as one in the win column and move on. It's unnatural."

"God…you sound like my mother," Jessie rolled her eyes and then got up to finish packing her things. "Except she does want me to settle down, but with another man."

"Ah yes, the delicious Tyler Adams. Pre-med, ridiculously rich, even more ridiculously handsome and lest we forget he has had a hard on for you since the day we arrived. What is the problem exactly?"

"Only the insurmountable fact that he is not my man and doesn't even hold a candle to my man."

"So you say," Theresa rolled her eyes. "I bet you would change your mind if you came to Aspen with us? Come on, it will be so amazing. Two weeks of no school and just the ten of us in a luxury cabin. Well nine if you don't come, which would leave poor beautiful Tyler without a hook-up buddy."

"I have zero interest in that. I will be spending Christmas with my family and the hook-up hours with my boyfriend, if I'm lucky.'

"Overrated," Theresa shouted.

"You are crazy," Jessie laughed.

"No. You are…you know we could run this school, right? I don't mean to sound like a snob, but we are the best looking girls in this school. Hands down. It's not even debatable. We could sample all these fine specimens and then hand pick the ones we want."

"I gotta go," Jess smiled indulgently. "My ride should be here in five. Are you gonna give me a hug?"

"Bitch, I'm walking you out. If you're going to ditch me, the least you can do is introduce me to the famous Dr. Quest."

"Fair enough. Let's go."

"So he's single, right? He's kinda hot for an old guy."

"I will not even respond to that," Jessie sighed. Maybe she did not always appreciate Theresa's bluntness. Any lingering annoyance she felt toward her roommate, however, quickly left her when she caught sight of her father.

"Dad," she yelled, dropping her bags and jumping in his arms. She had not realized how much she missed him until she was in his arms.

"I missed you too, Ponchita."

"How are you?" she asked excitedly and then embraced Dr. Quest.

"Better now. Who do we have here?"

"Hi Mr. Bannon. Dr. Quest. Oh wow. I'm Theresa. Jessie's roommate. So nice to meet you."

"You too," Dr. Quest smiled. "I trust the two of you have been looking out for one another?"

"Of course. It's been a fun semester, but not too much fun," she rushed.

"Good to hear. Where will you be spending break?"

"Asp…"

"THERESA. Theresa, oh my god, did you hear?" their other friend Martha rushed up. "I'm sorry to interrupt. Oh wow," Martha then stopped, having the same fangirl reaction upon noticing Dr. Quest. "Dr. Quest. I'm Martha. Jessie's friend. Hi."

"It's nice to meet you. Is everything, ok?"

"Oh yeah. I just found out our flight was cancelled and wanted to let Theresa know," she huffed out of breath, but Jessie suspected she delivered the news in person to get an introduction to Dr. Quest.

"Well…gives me more time to pack on the bright side,' Theresa smiled.

"All flights are cancelled until after Christmas," Martha interrupted. "Between weather and the holidays, they can't accommodate…"

"You won't be able to get to your families for Christmas?" Dr. Quest interjected.

"No. All of our parents are travelling abroad anyway," Theresa waved off. "…so a group of us were gonna spend Christmas together in Aspen."

"Well I don't like the idea of a bunch of kids alone on Christmas. You are welcome to join us until you can get to Colorado," Dr. Quest offered.

"Really?" they asked in unison.

"Of course. Jessie's friends are always welcome. How many?"

"Uh… there are nine of us," Theresa squealed, excited at the prospect.

"We have plenty of room on the plane as long as you don't mind doubling up a bit at the hotel?"

"Thank you so much. We have to let everyone know and pack some lighter clothes!"

"Take your time girls," Dr. Quest smiled. "Just meet us back here in an hour."

Jessie immediately deflated at the prospect of a delay. 'So much for four hours,' she thought.

"Jessie, I hope I didn't overstep there," Dr. Quest looked a little sheepish.

"Not at all. That was so generous," she grinned, but knew she was not convincing. "Sorry. I'm a little anxious to get out of here."

"Understandable. I very much look forward to hearing what all the young smart minds at my alma mater have to say though. I'll let you two catch up a bit and go call the airport and hotel to make arrangements."

"All those minds will be jumping at the chance," Jessie replied dryly as soon as Dr. Quest was out of earshot.

"I'm sorry about that, sweetie. You know how he gets when he's back on this campus," Race laughed.

"I know and it's really fine," she persisted. "I'm being a little selfish. I was really looking forward to Christmas being just the five of us, I guess. It's been a long four months. Self-imposed…I know," she threw her hands up.

"Well that was not going to happen anyway," Race hedged. "We already have a full plane so I think Dr. Quest was going for the more the merrier at this point."

"Huh?" Jessie asked in confusion.

"We brought a few of your friends and their families from Rockport. Dr. Quest was feeling generous. Your mother and grandmother flew in from Columbia last night. They would have come to pick you up, but were dead on their feet from travelling. For some reason they decided not to meet us there to eliminate half their travel time, but don't get me started on that. Oh, and my parents are meeting us there," he finished with a tired shrug. "Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to see my folks…but I was looking forward to the same low key holiday as you before all this started to come together last week. Please act surprised when you see your mother by the way..."

"Thanks for the warning."

"It was supposed to be a good surprise."

"It is. I'm just being a bitch because I miss my boyfriend," she laughed. "I should call him to let him know we are running late and don't worry I'll protect you from mom and grandma," she hugged him tightly and then walked a few yards away.

He picked up on the first ring. "Hi Baby." The sound of his voice put her in a better mood like clockwork.

"Hey," she smiled. "I miss you," she whispered, getting off track.

"Are you in the air yet?" he asked.

"Roadblock," she sighed.

"The course of true love never did run smooth," he quipped.

"Hmm…you're quoting Shakespeare to me now? You trying to get lucky or something?"

"Hey, I figure I need to step up my game if I'm competing with these Harvard fools now," he teased, but she knew he was not completely joking.

"None of these fools would know what to do with me," she hummed. "Did you know my mom and grandmother were joining us in Florida?"

"Oh…way to kill the mood."

"Didn't want to get you too excited before I get there," she laughed.

"Found out last night. Your dad asked me to keep it a surprise."

"This means we will have to be extra creative if we want any alone time," she huffed. "My mom and grandmother will be ten times more annoying than my dad."

"I have a few things in the works. Don't you worry, mon reine."

"I should have known. By the way… a few of those Harvard fools will be joining us too."

"Said roadblock?"

"Yeah…their flight to Aspen was cancelled so your Dad invited them to join us, which was very sweet…"

"But…," he encouraged.

"I just wanted you all to myself."

"Well, I have minimal interest in them so that will not be a problem. It will be nice to get to know the people you spend most of your time with though. It will make me worry about you less. I hope."

"Yeah right. Is that even possible?"

"What can I say? Hear my soul speak. The very instant that I saw you, did my heart fly to your service."

"I love you, Jonny."

AN: Shakespeare quotes from A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Tempest.


	2. Chapter 2

"A little antsy?" Race asked his daughter quietly, noticing that she had taken to biting her nails. It was over an hour later and they were still waiting in Harvard Yard for the rest of her friends to pack and gather back together. Over half of them had arrived and Dr. Quest was holding court as they discussed the theory of quantum entanglement.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I want to get there already and I am NOT looking forward to this flight," she finished with a grin. "Do you need help with take-off and landing and everything in between?" she then joked.

"None of the above," he pulled her close and kissed the side of her head lovingly. "…but I will be your safe haven anytime if you need to sneak away."

"Thanks, daddy. I'll stick it out as long as I can," she laughed, bouncing her legs continuously and then she felt a vibration in her back pocket that always brought a smile to her face.

'_How much longer do I have to wait to get you all to myself, beautiful?'_

'_I'm hoping to be there by six or seven. I may accidentally hurt someone en route though…'_

'_Then you are all mine for an early dinner, baby…and try to restrain yourself.'_

'_Just to be clear…will there be actual food involved ;)'_

'_Eventually… Call me when you are close."_

"You have that stupid grin on your face," Race commented with a sigh.

"What are you talking about?"

"…don't play dumb," he interrupted.

"I really missed him," she admitted. "It was so much harder than I expected."

"Well…he was pretty annoying about it too if it makes you feel better."

"It does actually."

"He was moody and distant…there were even a few times I was afraid he'd start crying…"

"…now I know you are lying. That's bull," she laughed out loud.

"Yeah…but he was still kinda annoying," Race teased.

Jessie did not enjoy causing Jonny any pain, but it did her heart good to have an outside party confirm that this separation was not any easier for him. The last two weeks were especially hard because she had spent every waking moment studying for finals. She was distracted and stressed during every conversation they had. She knew it, but more importantly he knew it and did not hold it against her. He was patient and understanding and she fully intended on showing him how much she appreciated it. She has not seen him since the morning she left for orientation. One hundred and seven days ago and yes she had been counting. They both were counting.

_One Hundred and Eight Days Ago_

"_Thank you," she whispered into his chest._

"_ANYTIME," he declared._

"_Not for that," she slapped him playfully. "This entire evening has been perfect. I want more perfect evenings like this. I plan to give them to you. You know that, right?"_

"_Don't get sad on me. We'll be fine, baby. It'll take much more than distance to come between us."_

"_I've been meaning to talk to you about that," she cut in with a distressed look on her face. "I've been procrastinating because I didn't know how to say it right, but now I'm leaving tomorrow and I still don't know how…"_

"_Your babbling, love. Please don't break up with me while I am naked though…that would be really awkward," he laughed._

"_WHAT," she shot up like a rocket and tears immediately sprung to her eyes. "Why would you say that?"_

"_It was a stupid joke, Jess. What has gotten into you?"_

"_Sorry," she apologized and began to quickly redress._

"_Don't be hasty with the clothes," he urged. "We have a few more hours before your dad sends out a search party. Come back here and talk to me."_

"_I'm sorry," she crawled back into bed and right into his waiting arms, feeling like an idiot. He got her to laugh softly when he awkwardly removed what little clothing she had managed to replace with one hand. "I'm so sorry."_

"_You already said that," he whispered in her ear and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Talk to me."_

"_Not my strong suit…"_

"…_but we've made so much progress with that in the last four years," he smiled against her skin._

"_Only because you're the most patient man alive to put up with my emotional limitations."_

"_I figure it's all just part of the Bannon charm," he mused._

"_Why do you put up with me?" she asked gloomily._

"_Easy. I am crazy stupid in love with you." His confession got her to laugh again and then he stroked her hair and just waited for her to talk. When a few minutes passed in silence, his heart began to race. "Just to confirm…you're not breaking up with me, right?"_

"_Not ever."_

"_Are you pregnant?" he asked quickly._

"_Hell no, Jonny."_

"_Well I had to ask," he sighed. "I've never seen you get upset like that before. I'm flying blind here."_

"_It's nothing like that," she sat up and pulled him with her so they were eye level._

"_I have a huge favor to ask and I'm really afraid you're gonna take it the wrong way," she admitted._

"_What are you afraid of?"_

"_That you will doubt how crazy stupid in love with you that I am," she grinned._

"_There are plenty of things in life that I'm insecure about and that I second guess, but I've never doubted that, baby. Tell me what you need."_

"_I need to prove to myself that I can be on my own and be independent," she said haltingly. "I'm going to be at Harvard for possibly the next four years and I need to carve out a life for myself in Boston."_

"_So what do you want me to do?"_

"_I don't want you to come with me tomorrow," she finally breathed out and it may have been the hardest thing she ever had to do. "And I want to stay up there on my own for fall break and the Thanksgiving holiday," she added quickly._

"_Why…umm. I mean I understand why you need that, but I don't understand how spending those few extra days apart is helpful. Why do you want to completely exclude me from your new world?"_

"_It's not that, babe."_

"_That's how it feels."_

"_This is what I was afraid of…"_

"_How do you expect me to react when you tell me you don't want to see me for three months," he cut in. "How would you feel?"_

"_Paralyzed with fear that you may finally go for one of those ridiculous girls that throw themselves at you constantly," she conceded._

"_You have that little faith in me?" he asked in disbelief._

"_No…that's just my own insecurities talking," she looked away. "And to be clear I would HATE it if our positions were reversed and you asked me to do this, which makes me a huge hypocrite."_

"…_but you're still asking?" he sighed in defeat, jumping out of bed despite her protests and throwing his boxers on quickly in the process. He made his way over to the large bay window and it broke her heart when she saw his shoulders slump._

_She knew him well enough to know that he needed a few quiet minutes to think. With that in mind, she tiptoed out of bed and threw on his shirt. She pulled it up over her face and took in his scent, making a mental note to steal a few of his shirts to take with her. Then she walked up behind him and softly ran her fingertips down the length of his strong back. His breathing picked up noticeably at her gentle touch._

"_I'm so fucking mad at you right now," he breathed out calmly._

"_I know," she whispered, but didn't move away from him. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his midsection and lightly scratched his abs. He loved that and she knew it._

"_Fuck," he hissed._

"_I love…hmm," he cut her off with a searing kiss. A life-changing, soul-crushing and I-can't-live-without-you-kiss. His huge hands enveloping her face, cradling the back of her head and eventually slipping down her body with precision. "I love you desperately. You have to know that," she professed when he shifted attention to her neck and picked her up to carry her back to the bed._

_Then he threw her down on the bed roughly and stepped back to slip out of his boxers. It did not matter how many times she saw him like this. Her mouth watered every single time. "Leave it on," he ordered fiercely when she made a move to remove his shirt. "Hands on the headboard and don't let go unless I tell you to, understand?"_

"_What are you doing to me," she panted, but did exactly as she was told._

"_Making sure I'm the only one you'll ever want…"_

"_You already are…oh."_

* * *

"_I already miss you," he complained and held her tighter._

"_Same…and before you say it, I know I'm the reason that the missing will be made worse," she kissed his chest right above his heart. "I promise I will make it up to you."_

"_How?" he asked._

"_If you decide to go to Stanford," she paused. "…I'll transfer."_

"_I would never ask you to do that," he shook his head._

"_You didn't. I believe I offered," she smiled. "I mean it, Jonny. I don't want to wait five years to start our life together. I don't care if we start at Harvard or Stanford as long as we are together, but we can't avoid being separated this first year so I do think this will be good for us."_

"_I'm not going to let you make a promise like that," he sighed. "We'll figure that out when the time comes. For now, I just want to know what you're going to give me in one hundred and seven days?" he grinned his beautiful boyish grin._

"_What do you want, babe?"_

_He paused a beat and then kissed her temple. "Surprise me, Ace."_

"_Are we ok?" she asked. "Because I won't do this if we're not. Nothing is more important to me than us."_

"_We are fine. We'll be fine," he promised. "We have to be. You're my penguin."_

"_You're my penguin too, baby."_

"Seriously stop with the stupid grin," Race teased, cutting into her memory.

"Sorry. So how far behind are the renovations on the Florida Compound? You didn't give me any details last time we talked?" she asked.

"I knew you had enough to worry about with exams. At least three months behind," Race sighed. "Half the reason we decided to have Christmas down there this year was to apply some pressure in person."

"That's good," she responded distractedly. "Finally," she then jumped up when she saw the remainder of her friends making their way towards them. "Let's go. Let's go."

Once they were all gathered, it took another five minutes to figure out who would travel in each van because all of her friends shamelessly wanted to sit with Dr. Quest.

"Just breathe, sweetheart. We will be there in a few hours," Race laughed at his daughter as they made their way to the airport.

"I know. I'm so excited," she bounced like a kid at Christmas.

"You will have plenty of distractions to keep you occupied during the flight," he advised.

Her father was not kidding. There was a huge flurry of activity as they all boarded the Quest jet, including Jessie's reunion with her family and friends from Maine and then introducing all of her new friends. There were several different conversations going on in the main cabin by the time they were in the air. Jessie was just about to retreat to the cockpit for a few minutes when her grandmother approached.

"Hi, hermosa chica."

"Hola abuelita."

"Your friends are all very impressive," she commented. "Especially Mister Adams."

"Yes," Jessie nodded patiently.

"I very much agree," Estella then cut in.

"Sure," Jessie nodded again, a little less patiently.

"Your friend Theresa mentioned that Tyler has a bit of a crush on you," her mother noted casually.

"She certainly seems to think so," Jessie responded in annoyance. "Excuse me, I actually need to have a conversation with her."

"Jessie, don't be cross with your friend. She is only trying to help," her grandmother insisted.

"She is intruding when I have repeatedly asked her to stop. She knows I have a boyfriend. You both know that too," she shot her mother a look of warning.

"Jessie…"

"Mom, stop. Seriously," she asked and then left to have a word with Theresa.

As she walked through the cabin, Jessie noted that all of the guys, except Tyler, were surrounding Dr. Quest again, while the girls, along with Tyler, appeared to be gossiping on the other end.

"There is no use. You are completely wasting your time," Jessie's friend Mary was announcing to everyone.

"No use in what?" Jessie asked.

"Hey girl. I was just trying to explain to your new friends here that there is no use in trying to convince you that Jonny has not hung the moon," she smiled.

"I wouldn't go quite that far," Jessie admonished. "…but as I've stated daily for the last three month, I have no interest in anyone else," she made sure she had Theresa's eye.

"Fine," Theresa threw her hands in the air as a sign of surrender. "I don't get it, but fine."

"I think you'll get it once you meet him," Chloe, a new girl in their group of Rockport friends, huffed.

"Excuse me?" Jessie asked with an undeniable accusatory tone. She did not know this girl and an immediate sting of jealousy swept right threw her. 'Why has Jonny not mentioned her?' she wondered.

"I didn't mean anything by it," Chloe rushed to defend. "I barley know him, but he seems pretty great."

"He is," Jessie responded and almost added, 'He's also mine…bitch,' but refrained. "I'm gonna go help my dad," she then stated and got up to leave, but not before she heard Mary's final remark.

"Don't take it personal Chloe," she consoled. "She's a little possessive. Oh, and just as a friendly warning Tyler, Jonny is ten times more possessive if you can believe it." That comment made Jessie smile.

* * *

"Hey dad," she greeted and took a seat in the co-pilot chair.

"You lasted an hour," he laughed. "I'm impressed."

"Yeah yeah…like you would have lasted longer," she teased.

"You got me there, Ponchita."

_'So do I like this new friend of yours, Miss Chloe_,' she shot a quick text to Jonny.

"Do you really need to do that now?" Race asked, slightly annoyed.

"I do," she grinned.

"It's dangerous to do that in flight," he scolded.

"Yeah right," she scoffed.

_'Why? You jealous, babe?'_ he teased.

_'No. Just want to know if I need to put the little beauty in her place…'_

_'I like this side of you, Ace.'_

_'I'm serious.'_

_'So am I ;)'_

_'I love you, Jonny Quest.'_

_'You're my whole world, Jessie Bannon. Get home to me.'_


End file.
